Maldivas
/malˈdibas/feminine, plural
Maldivas is the Spanish name for the Maldives.
Maldivas is the name of the country located in South Asia.
Meaning: country in South Asia (name)
Which one should you use?
While Maldivas is the name of the country, Las Maldivas is used to mean 'the Maldives'. For official contexts, the full name is La República de las Maldivas, meaning 'The Republic of the Maldives'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, people commonly use Maldivas. In Spain, the most widely used term is Las Maldivas.
How does it change in a sentence?
The name is treated as a feminine plural noun and is almost always preceded by the definite article las.
How do you pronounce it?
/malˈdibas/
Did you know?
- While the Spanish name uses the plural las Maldivas, the adjective used for the nationality of a person from there, maldiviano, can be singular. This creates a linguistic shift from a plural place name to a singular identity.
- Spanish speakers often group las Maldivas with other 'las' island nations like las Canarias or las Baleares in travel contexts, treating the feminine plural article as a marker for an archipelago rather than just a country.
- The Spanish term las Maldivas follows a pattern common for island nations, like las Filipinas or las Bahamas, where the definite article is an integral part of the name.
Examples in context
- Y en el océano Índico, algunas islas de las Maldivas desaparecerán completamente bajo el agua.And in the Indian Ocean, some islands of the Maldives will disappear completely beneath the water.This sentence shows how to use Maldivas when talking about islands in the Indian Ocean.Tatoeba #1812184 by marcelostockle, translation #53993 by Dejo
- Él pasó la luna de miel en las Maldivas.He spent his honeymoon in the Maldives.This sentence shows how to use Maldivas in the context of a honeymoon.Tatoeba #4448254 by mervert1, translation #1816383 by Amastan
- Muchos turistas eligen viajar a las hermosas Islas Maldivas cada año.Many tourists choose to travel to the beautiful Maldives Islands every year.
- Las Maldivas tienen playas espectaculares.The Maldives have spectacular beaches.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are looking at travel photos on a laptop.
- Javier¿Quieres viajar a las Maldivas el próximo año?Do you want to travel to the Maldives next year?
- Lucía¡Sí, me encantaría ir a las Maldivas contigo!Yes, I would love to go to the Maldives with you!
- JavierSerá un viaje increíble para los dos.It will be an amazing trip for both of us.
- LucíaBusquemos vuelos económicos ahora mismo.Let's look for cheap flights right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “maldives” translations and entries Maldivas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
